If ou have the chance to visit the extraordinarily picturesque city of Fougeres and its castle in Bretagne, there are a few places where you could enjoy a rest and unpretentious but tasty food. Jys avoid the obvious toursitic establishmente and try a small place like La Naiade where evrything is down to the right side with a small garden where I would avise you to sit away from the crowd!

L’Amiral in Rennes, Bretagne, France, looks both like a restaurant and big bistro like the ones you can find in Paris, but the atmosphere is certainly more convivial than in the capital and far less snobbish, whatever the season and occasion.
We had a dinner for a special event and it was great fun!

A small coupe of champagne with a few tidbits to start!

A splendid Riesling by Dopff in Alsace!

We started with a seafood dish of course as this is Bretagne!

Splendid scampi!

Look at these eggs!

Not much difference with Japan!

Fresh oysters, naturally!

Black bass in white butter sauce!

Venison and morel mushrooms!

Plougastel strawberries soup!

Splendid dessert assortment!

L’AMIRAL

Place de Bretagne, 35000, Rennes, France
Tel.: 0299350391
Open all year!HOMEPAGE
———————————————–Baron Rouge in Rennes City

We were lucky indeed to discover Le Baron Rouge Restaurant in a back street of Rennes just before they opened for lunch as it can be pretty crowded very quickly and coming later without a reservation is just hopeless!

And they have the merit to clearly announce a daily-changing lunch menu!

Rennes, the capital of Bretagne, is a major city in France but it has preserved its original cachet, making it a major venue for businessmen and tourists alike.
It is replete with traditional restaurants and bistros it would take too much time to enumerate!

Founded in 1936, it is one still living most ancient bistros in the whole of the Bretagne Peninsula.
It is full any time of the day, any day of the week, and you definitely need to reserve!
WE liked it so much that we visited it twice during our three-day stay for dinner and lunch!
Just let me introduce what we had!

Of course it serves real Bretagne cider!

But don’t overlook the very reasonable wine list!

There some fantastic bakeries in Bretagne, and you can expect exquisite bread!

It is Bretagne, therefore the seafood is a must!
They serve one typical Bretagne version of a dish famous in Alsace: Choucroute de la Mer/Sea Choucroute!

A lighter and definitely more elegant choucroute than the pork meats version, served with a white butter sauce!

Although this particular dish was made famous in Belgium, it is also a must!

Mussles!

But Bretagne does also have great meats!
Steak tartare!

Interesting way of preparing potato fries!

Some tourists will feel at home with this stupendous open hamburger topped with foie gras!

The simple but so succulent matured cheese assortment served with fig jam is another must at La Chope!

Le Bar Iode’s name is a pun as the word “bar” both means “bar” and Blackbass”!
It is a resolutely modern establishment combining bar and restaurant.
One can drink there almost all day, but diners should remember that last food orders are before 21:00!

Lobster/homard salad!

Seafood is definitely their forte, and with the proximity of the sea, the crustaceans are especially top-class.
Bretagne vegetables being what they are, expect some great salads!

They do come with some modern dishes such this succulent langoustines/gambas served fried with a chorizo sauce!
Use your bread! LOL

We did arrive a bit too late to order all the dishes we wanted, but they still made the effort to serve this splendid assortment of smoked fish despite the closure of the kitchen and the departure of the chefs!

All in all, highly-recommended for a nice drink and a casual light meal!

Local andouillette galette!
An Disquiz (“the place to relax in”) offers an enormous array of buckwheat galettes both salted and sweet called ble noir/black wheat/buckwheat and sweet crepes.
The interior is intriguing and cute.
Excellent for lunch

Rennes in Bretagne is a big city and is considered the capital of the whole region!
It a big population to feed and a big market is held there every Saturday with more than 300 shops selling their wares indoors and outdoors!
It is definitely worth a slow visit!
Let’s have a look at what could be found during the last Saturday of August!

Melons from Southern France!
Of course, not all products were local, but they were all French!

Mirabelles from Lorraine!

Nectarines from the Gard!

Local vegetables!

Garlic and echalottes!

Bretagne is the biggest producer of artichokes!

Black figs from the South!

Watermelons from the South!

Tomatoes!

Celeriac!

Lettuce!

Olives from the South!

Dried fruit!

Pimentoes and paprika!

Onions!

Cauliflower!

Broccoli and romanesco!

Potimarron pumpkins!

Bretagne was the first to grow strawberries domestically in the World in the 18th Century!

More pumpkins!

More pimentoes and paprikas!

Wild cep mushrooms form the South!

Wild chanterelles!

Violet turnips, celeriac and frizzled cabbage!

Cheese!

Pork!

More cheese!

Quiches!

More pork!

Pizzas and pies!

Terrines!

Rabbit (center!)!

Beef!

Sausages!

More terrines and sausages!

More of the same!

Chinese cuisine!

Couscous!

Local craft beers!

Whole roasted chickens!

Traditional bonbons!

Incredible cheese!

Local traditional jams!

Traditional confectioner in Breton costume!

Beignets!

Candied fruit!

Looked so delicious!

Rock crabs!
More than half of Bretagne is washed by the sea!

Busy stand!

Lobsters!

Mussles!

Seafood galore!

Pumpkins and zucchini of all shapes!

Beautiful eggplants!

Fish galore!

Crabs and lobsters!

More cheese!
So elegant!

Escargots!

Bio bread!

Street music!

Succulent plants! Not for food!

More succulent plants!

Cacti!

Traditional Breton cakes!

And radishes to take away!
Mind you there also a lot of flowers on sale!
———————————-Le Jardin d’Ete in Quimper City

In a city replete with crepe restaurants Le Jardin d’Ete provides a great escape to other Bretagne cuisine in a cosy interior in the old city!
To add to the decor customers seem to be of a very convivial sort!

Oysters of course are a must but do try the fish and scallops gratin!

Enormous scallops brochettes are a beauty, too!
Unpretentious, delicious and so generous!

They do serve specialties from other regions such as home-made canard confit/preserved duck!
Absolutely tender and elegant!

But keep an eye and a space for the desserts!

Meringue and red fruit sauce and sorbet!

Although lunch is attractive enough, definitely a reliable address for dinner, but you had better reserve!

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2 thoughts on “Gastronomic Destinations: France-Bretagne”

Thanks for the Rennes Market report! I live in Rennes and its market is one of the greatest in France. Another great market is Sarlat’s market in Dordogne.
BTW I’m now cooking a ramen base following your basic 12 hours technique. Hope it works!